Fastening device



Nov. 22, 1966 R. A. BEGHETTO, JR 3,286,313

FASTENING DEVICE Original Filed June 29, 1962 INVENTOR. F4 YMOA/D 4. 566196770, ue,

United States Patent 3,286,313 FASTENING DEVICE Raymond A. Beghetto, In, 113 W. 6th Ave., Cheyenne, Wyo. 82001 Original application June 29, 1962, Ser. No. 206,395, now Patent No. 3,151,370, dated Oct. 6, 1964. Divided and this application July 31, 1964, Ser. No. 386,702 9 Claims. (Cl. 24-16) This invention relates to the general field of securing means and, more specifically, the instant invention pertains to fastening devices and comprises a division of my copending application Serial No. 206,395 bearing the same title, and now Patent No. 3,151,370, issued October 6, 1964.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide a fastening device for securing, in juxtaposition, the free edges of a pair of lid sections forming the closure member of a box, container, receptacle, and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fastening device for the lid sections of a closure member for a container, receptacle, box, and the like, wherein the fastener device may be quickly and easily installed, the installation being accomplished with the use of a hand tool of the type illustrated in my Patent No. 3,073,- 029, entitled, Hand Tool for Box Buckles, and which was issued on January 15, 1963.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a fastening device constructed of a pair of identical units wherein the component elements of one unit are interchangeable with corresponding elements of the other unit.

This invention contemplates, as a still further object thereof, the provision of a fastening device or means which is non-complex in construction and assembly, inexpensive to manufacture, and which is durable in use.

Other and further advantages of the instant invention will become more evident from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a fastening means constructed in accordance with this invention showing the same in its operative position securing together two lid sections of a closure member for a container, receptacle, box, or the like;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the fastening device shown in FIGURE 1, FIGURE 2 showing an intermediate stage of the application of the device to the closure member;

FIGURE 3 is a detail cross-sectional view, FIGURE 3 being taken substantially on the horizontal plane of line 33 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the locking tongue employed in the fastening'device of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a bottom plan view of the locking device shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 illustrates a second embodiment of this invention where the use of the locking tongue of FIG- URE 4 is eliminated;

FIGURE 7 is an exploded perspective view of one of the locking device units illustrated in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a detail cross-sectional view, FIGURE 8 being taken substantially on the horizontal plane of line 8-8 of FIGURE 6, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 9 is a perspective View of one of the prong members in blank form.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing, and to that embodiment of this invention as is illustrated in FIGURES l to 5, inclusive, reference numeral 10 des- 3,286,313 Patented Nov. 22, 1966 ignates, in general, a fastening device constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention. Reference numeral 12 designates, in general, a container having a pair of lid sections 14, 16 forming a closure member and having adjacent pairs of edges, and the fastener 10 is adapted for use to hold the edges in juxtaposition.

The fastening device 10 is formed of a pair of idenically-constructed units applied one to each of the lid sections 14, 16 and which are secured together by a third means.

Each of the fastening units is preferably formed of a soft metallic material, but other materials may be employed. Each unit of the fastening device 10 is seen to comprise a prong element 18 (see FIGURE 7) having a discoidal central body portion 20 provided with a pair of diametrically-opposed circumferentially-spaced, upwardly and outwardly-flaring flanges 22, 24. As is clearly seen in FIGURE 7, the element 18 between each pair of adjacent ends of the flanges 22, 24 is integral with downwardly-turned, substantially rectangular flanges 26, 28,

' respectively, diametrically-opposed with respect to one another. The outer ends of the flanges 26, 28 are reduced in Width and are reverted at 30, 32 and again at 34, 36 to provide a pair of spaced and substantially parallel prongs 38, 40 having arcuately-shaped ends 42, 44, respectively.

The prong member 18 is formed, reference now being made to FIGURE 9 of the drawing, from a blank of metallic or other suitable material which is crimped or folded on arcuate lines 46, 48 to form the flanges 22, 24 and on the parallel lines 50, 52, 54 and 56, 58, 60, to designate the lines of reversion 30, 34 and 32, 36, respectively. The locking tongue member is indicated at 62 in FIGURE 4 and is formed of a relatively thin flat soft metal which may be easily bent. The member 62 is essentially rectangular in configuration and comprises three separate sections or portions including an arcuately-shaped end portion 64 from the inner side of which is integrally-connected a centrally-located shank 66 that tapers in width toward an elongated substantially rectangular end portion 68 of uniform dimensions, and with which it is integrally connected. The outer end of the portion 68 is rounded or blunted as at 70.

The junction of the inner end of the shank portion 66 with the end portion 68 is 'demarked by a pair of identical grooves 72, 74 inclined inwardly at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tongue member 62 and disposed on opposite sides of the end portion 68. The arcuate end portion 64, adjacent its connection with the adjacent end of the shank portion 66, is arc-uately and inwardly-notched as at 75, 78.

Reference numeral (see FIGURE 7) generally connotes a clamp plate comprising a cylindrical main body portion 82 having a pair of transversely-extending, diametrically-opposed and parallel slots 84, 86 formed therein. A flange 88 flares laterally from the circumferential marginal edge of the main body portion 82 at one side thereof, the flange 88 having an inverted substantially hollow frusto-coni-cal configuration.

Again referring to FIGURE 7 of the drawing, reference numeral 90 designates a disc member having a pair of slots 92, 94 extending transversely therethrough, the slots 92, 94 being diametrically-opposed and parallel with respect to one another. A centrally-located grommet 96 secures one end of an elongated flexible thong 98 to the disc member 90.

Each of the lid sections 14,16 is preferably provided with one or more pairs of preformed transversely-extending slots 100, 102 disposed in spaced and parallel relation relative to each other and their adjacent free edges,

3 only one pair being shown in FIGURE 7. The spacing inwardly of each pair of slots 100, 102 from the free edges of each closure section is preferably the same, but may be varied, if so desired.

The spacing between each .pair of slots 84, 86 and 92, 94, and 100, 102 is the same, and under some circumstances, to be described infra, the several pairs of slots are designed to be aligned with each other to receive the prongs 3 8, 40 therethrou g-h. The component elements of the fastening device 10 have been illustrated and described in detail, and it is believed that the application of the invention is self-evident. However, a brief description of its utility and versatility is set forth below.

Referring now to FIGURES l to 5, inclusive, and also to FIGURE 7, and assuming that the box lid sections 14, 16 are closed, and the lid section 14, 16 are provided with pairs of slots 100, 102 aligned with each other, the prongs 38, 40 of the prong members 18 are inserted through each pair of slots 100, 102. The insertion is made from the upper sides of the lid sections 14, 16. The lid sections 14, 16 may now be pivoted so that their respective free edges move away from one another to permit the prongs 38, 40 to be inserted first through the slots 92, 94 of the disc member 90 and subsequently through the slots 84, 86 of the clamp plate 80. While not necessary for the successful operation of the fastening device, it is prefer-able that the clamp plate be threaded on the prongs 38, 40 in such a manner so as to effect line contact with the flange 88 with the undersides of the lid sections 14, 16. The thong 98 will, under these circumstances, project beyond the flange 88, but this is of no consequence. The prongs 38, 40 are now bent late-rally away :from one another (see FIGURE in such a manner as to permit a small amount of movement of the central body portion toward and away from the exterior sides of the lid sections 14, 16.

The tongue member 62 is now inserted beneath each of the two central body portions 20 after the lid sections 14, 16 are :moved int-o substantially coplanar opposed positions between each pair of prongs 38, 40. From FIGURE 1 of the drawing is will be seen that the distance between each of the prongs 38, 40 is sufficient to accommodate the width of the end portion 68 of the tongue member 62. It will also be noted that with the tongue member 62 fully inserted, the arcuate notches 75, 78 are preferably proximate the adjacent ends of the reverted portions 30, 3'4 and 32, 36 of the prongs 38, 40 of one of the prong members 18. Similarly, the grooves 72, 74 have passed through the other of the prong members between its respective prongs 38, 40 and are disposed proximate the other of the reverted portions 30, 34 and 32, 36 of the second of the prong members. The notches 75, 78 are rounded and are normally positioned proximate a pair of edges of the prongs 38, 40 to receive the reverted portions 30, 34 and 32, 36, whereby the tongue member 62 may be pivoted to a slight degree thereabout and thereby to cause the reverted portions 30, 34 and 32, 36 to optionally engage with either one of the grooves 72, 74 to temporarily lock the lid sections 14, 16 in their closed positions with the free edges thereof disposed in confronting positions.

When it is desired to achieve a more permanent type of connection, the tongue member 62 may now be disengaged from the prongs 38 or 40 of the prong element 18 extending through the lid section 16 and the same is bent over the prong member 18 lying immediately adjacent the grooves 72, 74, and the free end of the tongue member 68 is then threaded between the prongs 38, 40 below the discoidal central body portion 20 of the fastening device connected with the lid section 14.

As has been stated above, one or more of the fastening devices may be used to span the slit or opening extending between the free edges of the lid sections 14, as needed.

In the above construction, the thong may be brought upwardly between adjacent sections of the lid section 14, 16 and wrapped alternately around the prongs 38, 40 of each of the prong elements 18 to act as a safety securing means or as secondary securing means in such cases as may require repeated opening and closing .of the lid sections 14, 16. Obviously, repeated bending of the tongue member 68 will, eventually, result in metal fatigue on the fold line and its subsequent tfracture.

FIGURES 7 to 9, inclusive, illustrate a second embodiment of this invention. It will be immediately determined that all of the elements employed in the firstdescri'bed embodiment are present in the second. However, the assembly and function of the second embodiment of the invention departs from the first in the following manner.

Referring more specifically to FIGURE 7 of the drawing, it will be noted that the lid section 14 has superimposed thereagainst a disc member with the slots 92, 94 being aligned with the slots 100, 102, and with the thong 98 extending radially from the upper side of the disc member 90. Superimposed on the disc member 90 is a clamp plate 80 with the slots 84, 86 being aligned With the slots 92, and 94, 102, respectively, the clamp plate 80 being adapted to bear against the grommet 96 and the thong 98. The prongs 38, 40 of the prong element 18 are now passed through the aligned slots and are bent away from each other to engage against the under-surface of the lid section 14, in the manner described above. The thong 98 may now be extended from the lid section 14 to the lid section 16 and wrapped about a corresponding fastening device 10 carried on the lid section 16. The wrapping is made alternately between the two prong elements 18.

In this second embodiment of the invention, one or both of the thong members 98 may be employed in the wrapping operation. It will also be understood that with the clamping member 80 reversed from the position shown in the original embodiment of the invention, the flange 88 serves as a cam or guide for causing the thong of the opposed prong member 18 to be easily wound about the first of the prong members 18.

Having described and illustrated several embodiments of this invention, it will be understood that the same are offered merely by way of example, and that this invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Securing means for juxtaposed closure lid sections of a receptacle or the like comprising a pronged member having a centrally-disposed discoidal main body portion and including a pair of diametrically-opposed arcuate flanges projecting laterally away from a side thereof and diverging from each other, a pair of prongs having one of their respective ends integral with said main body portion and projecting laterally away from the other side thereof, said ends of said prongs being diametricallyopposed and disposed intermediate each adjacent pair of ends of said flanges, said prongs being inserted through one of said closure sections, a cylindrical disc member having a thong projecting therefrom, said cylindrical disc member being mounted on said prongs, means on the other of said closure sections to receive said thong thereon, and said thong being wrapped alternately around said prongs and said last-named means to secure said closure sections together.

2. Securing means for a receptacle having a closure member comprising a pair of lid sections having free ends adapted to be pivoted toward one another and into coplanar relationship, said securing means comprising fastening means for each lid section being identical and including a substantially discoidal main body portion having a pair of oppositely-disposed flanges projecting laterally and outwardly from a side thereof, a pair of diametrically-opposed prongs projecting laterally from the other side of said main body portion between adjacent pairs of ends of said flanges, said pairs of prongs being extended through, respectively, one of said lid sections and bent away from each other in diverging directions to engage against the underside of their associated lid sections, a cylindrical plate for each of said fastening means, each of said plates having an outwardly-diverging circumferential flange, each of said plates being mounted on said prongs intermediate the central body portion of their respective fastening means and the exterior side of its associated lid section, a disc member interposed between said plate and the exterior side of each of said lid sections, and an elongated flexible thong projecting from each of said disc members, said thong being adapted to be alternately wound around each pair of fastening means.

3. Securing means for adjacent edges of juxtaposed closure lid sections of a receptacle or the like comprising a pronged member having a centrally-disposed discoidal main body portion and including a pair of diametricallyopposed arcuate flanges projecting laterally away from a side thereof with the concave sides confronting one another and diverging away from each other, a pair of diametrically-opposed prongs having one of their respective ends fixedly connected with said main body portion and projecting laterally away from the other side thereof, said prongs having one of their ends extending through one of said sections to position said main body portion adjacent a side of one of said sections, a clamp plate comprising a substantially flat cylindrical member having an inverted substantially hollow cylindrical flange projecting from its circumferential marginal edge, said cylindrical member having a pair of slots extending transversely therethrough to receive a portion of the other ends of said prongs therein, said cylindrical member being mounted on said prongs with said flange thereof engaging the other side of said lid section, said prongs being bent laterally away from one another to secure said clamp plate thereon, fastening means extending from between said prongs and spanning said adjacent edges of said lid sections for connection with securing means on the other of said sections.

4. Securing means for adjacent edges of juxtaposed closure lid sections of a receptacle or the like comprising a prong member having a centrally-disposed discoidal main body portion and including a pair of diametricallyopposed arcuate flanges projecting laterally away from a side thereof with the concave sides confronting one another and diverging away from each other, a pair of diametrically-opposed prongs having one of their respective ends fixedly connected with said main body portion and projecting laterally away from the other side thereof, said prongs having one of their ends extending through one of said sections to position said main body portion thereof adjacent a side of one of said sections, a disc member having a pair of diametrically-opposed slots extending transversely therethrough to receive a portion of said prongs therein with the side of said disc member engaging the other side of said section, said prongs being bent laterally away from one another to secure said disc member thereon, and flexible means connected with said disc member and spanning said adjacent edges of said sections for con nection with securing means on the other of said sections.

5. Securing means as defined in claim 4, wherein said flexible means comprises a thong.

6. Securing means for adjacent edges of juxtaposed closure lid sections comprising a pronged member having a centrally-disposed discoidal main body portion and including a pair of diametrically-opposed arcuate flanges projecting laterally away from a side thereof with the concave sides of said flanges being disposed in confronting relationship and diverging from one another, a pair of diametrically-opposed prongs having one of their respective ends fixedly secured to said main body portion, the

other ends of said prongs extending through one of said sections with said main body portion being disposed adjacent one side of said one section, a disc member having a pair of diametrically-opposed slots extending transversely therethrough, said other ends of said prongs extending through said slots to position a side of said disc against the other side of said one section, an elongated thong having one of its ends fixedly secured to said disc centrally thereof, a discoidal member having a pair of diametrically-disposed transversely-extending slots, said member having an inverted substantially hollow frustoconical flange projecting away therefrom at the circumferential marginal edge thereof, said other ends of said prongs extending through said last-named pair of slots and surrounding said disc member with the base of said flange engaging said other side of said section and said thong projecting therebetween and therebeyond, said prongs being bent laterally away from each other to engage said other side of said one section, the other end of said thong extending between said adjacent edges, and means on the other of said sections to secure said other end of said thong.

'7. Securing means for adjacent edges of juxtaposed closure lid sections comprising a pronged member having a centrally-disposed discoidal main body portion and including a pair of diametrically-opposed arcuate flanges projecting laterally away from a side thereof with the concave sides confronting and diverging from one another, a pair of diametrically-opposed prongs having one of their respective ends fixedly secured to said main body portion, the other ends of said prongs extending through one of said sections with said main body portion adjacent one side of said one section, a disc member having a pair of diametrically-opposed slots extending transversely therethrough, said prongs extending through said slots to position a side of said disc against the other side of said one section, an elongated thong having one of its ends fixedly secured to said disc centrally thereof, a discoidal member having a pair of diametrically-disposed transverselyextending slots, said discoidal member having an inverted substantially hollow frusto-conical flange projecting away therefrom at the circumferential marginal edge thereof, said prongs extending through said last-named pair of slots and surrounding said disc member with the edge of said flange engaging said other side of said section and said thong projecting therebetween and therebeyond, said prongs being bent laterally away from each other to engage said other side of said one section, the other end of said thong extending between said adjacent edges of said lid sections, and means on the other of said sections to secure said other end of said thong.

8. Securing means as defined in claim 7, wherein said means comprise a second pronged member having a centrally-disposed main body portion and including a pair of diametrically-opposed arcuate flanges projecting laterally away from a side thereof, a pair of diametrically-opposed prongs having one of their respective ends fixedly secured to said main body portion, the other end of said prongs projecting laterally away from said last-named main body portion and extending through said other of said lid sections with said last-named main body portion engaging a side of said other of said sections, said last-named prongs being bent away from one another to engage the other side of said other section, and said thong being Wrapped about said last-named prongs between said one side of said second section and its adjacent discoidal member.

9. Securing means for adjacent edges of juxtaposed closure lid sections comprising a prong member having a centrally-disposed discoidal main body portion and including a pair of diametrically-opposed arcuate flanges projecting laterally away from a side thereof with the concave sides confronting and diverging from one another, a pair of diametrically-opposed prongs having one of their respective ends fixedly secured to said main body portion, the other ends of said prongs projecting laterally away from said main body portion and extending through one of said lid sections adjacent the edge thereof, a disc member having a pair of diametrically-opposed slots extending transversely therethrough, said prongs extending through said slots to position a side of said disc against said side of said section, an elongated thong having one of its ends fixedly secured to said disc centrally thereof, a discoidal member having a pair of diametrically-opposed transversely-extending slots, said member having an inverted substantially hollow frusto-conical flange projecting away therefrom at the circumferential marginal edge thereof, said discoidal member being mounted on said prongs intermediate said main body portion and said disc member with said flange surrounding said main body portion and its said flanges, and means on the other of said lid sections to receive said prong as the same is extended across and spans said edges of said lid sections as Wound about said means and said prongs.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 7/ 1931 France. 1/ 1930 Great Britain. 12/ 1954 Italy.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. D. GRIFFIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. SECURING MEANS FOR JUXTAPOSED CLOSURE LID SECTIONS OF A RECEPTACLE OR THE LIKE COMPRISING A PRONGED MEMBER HAVING A CENTRALLY-DISPOSED DISCOIDAL MAIN BODY PORTION AND INCLUDING A PAIR OF DIAMETRICALLY-OPPOSED ARCUATE FLANGES PROJECTING LATERALLY AWAY FROM A SIDE THEREOF AND DIVERGING FROM EACH OTHER, A PAIR OF PRONGS HAVING ONE OF THEIR RESPECTIVE ENDS INTEGRAL WITH SAID MAIN BODY PORTION AND PROJECTING LATERALLY AWAY FROM THE OTHER SIDE THEREOF, SAID ENDS OF SAID PRONGS BEING DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED AND DISPOSED INTERMEDIATE EACH ADJACENT PAIR OF ENDS OF SAID FLANGES, SAID PRONGS BEING INSERTED THROUGH ONE OF SAID CLOSURE SECTIONS, A CYLINDRICAL DISC MEMBER HAVING A THONG PROJECTING THEREFROM, SAID CYLINDRICAL DISC MEMBER BEING MOUNTED ON SAID PRONGS, MEANS ON THE OTHER OF SAID CLOSURE SECTIONS TO RECEIVE SAID THONG THEREON, AND SAID THONG BEING WRAPPED ALTERNATELY AROUND SAID PRONGS AND SAID LAST-NAMED MEANS TO SECURE SAID CLOSURE SECTIONS TOGETHER. 